Harry's First Word
by nevillelongbotom
Summary: Harry says his first word. It's not what you might expect.


James stared down at his son, who lay sleeping in his crib. He leaned his forearms against the cold wood, and continued to watch the little one. He heard Lily's light footsteps enter the room. He glanced her way for a moment, then looked back down into the crib.

"You know," Lily curled an arm around his waist, leaning against him, "staring won't make him able to play Quidditch with you any faster." James grinned and turned to her, catching her lips in a quick kiss. She smiled as well, looking down at their son.

Harry began to stir in his sleep, small gurgling noises coming from his mouth. James shook his head, bumping his hip into hers and whispering, "You woke him up." His smile grew as Lily picked Harry up and starting cooing into his ear to help him fall back asleep.

"Shh, Harry, shh," she murmured, rocking him lightly as he began to cry. He quieted soon, but did not fall back asleep. Instead, he made grabby hands for James when he came into his view. More happy noises escaped from him as Lily transferred him into James' arms. James made goofy faces at his son, causing him to giggle and grab James' nose.

James laughed as well and carried Harry into the sitting room, plopping himself onto the couch. He set Harry on his knee and bounced him up and down. Harry squirmed happily in his father's arms. James leaned back and held him up into the air. Harry kicked and waved his arms, squealing excitedly.

There was a knock on the door and stood to answer it. Lily called quickly, "I got it," and James sat back down to blow a raspberry into Harry's stomach. The baby was still giggling when Sirius walked in behind Lily with what was obviously another present in his hand.

Sirius took a seat beside James. "If you don't stop bringing our child presents, there's not going to be anything left in the world that he doesn't have at least 3 of before he even turns 2."

Sirius just grinned and held the small gift right in front of Harry. The small hands grabbed it and began attempting to open it, pulling at its sides and shaking it up and down. When nothing worked, he started getting frustrated. His face screwed up as he squeezed the box tightly in his chubby, little hands. A loud pop, some purple sparks, and Harry's resumed giggling erupted soon.

Sirius had planned this, of course. He knew Harry wouldn't have been able to open the box without using a little magic. James must've known this as well, for he stifled a grin as Lily came rushing into the room at the noise. "What was that?"

James wiped the remnants of the box from his lap, not meeting her eye, "Harry opening his present." She looked at him for a moment, a knowing look in her eye.

She pointed at Sirius threateningly, "Don't do that to his presents." With that, she turned on her heel and went back into the kitchen.

Sirius chuckled and looked back at Harry, who now held a small golden ball in his hands. He waved it up and down happily with the biggest smile on his face. James grinned and bounced him, "What do you say, Harry? Can you say 'thank you, Padfoot'?" Harry jumped and screamed enthusiastically as wings sprouted from the ball. They flapped lazily as he let go and it stayed where it was.

It zoomed around his head a few times, eliciting laughs from all three of them. When it flew close to his ear, Harry reached up and grabbed it again in his fingers. He continued to play with it cheerfully, letting it zoom around a few times before catching it again easily.

Sirius watched, leaning back in his seat, "Think he might turn out to be a seeker."

James grinned and looked at Harry, "What d'ya say, Harry? Think Padfoot's right?"

"Pah-fuh," Harry grabbed the golden snitch out of the air and wiggled in his father's lap, who was staring at his son disbelievingly.

"What did you just say? Lily! Oi! Get in here!" James turned him around in his arms to look at his face. Lily came running into the room with a worried expression on her face. Sirius sat on the couch smiling almost madly. "Watch this." Lily nodded and took a seat on the arm of the couch. "Padfoot."

Harry giggled again as the wing of the snitch brushed his ear, "Pah-fuh!"

Lily's eyes widened in shock. She took Harry from James, stood, and began bouncing him on her hip. "Padfoot."

"Pah-fuh! Pah-fuh!"

"Padfoot."

Harry scrunched his features again, trying to recreate the word in his mouth, "Pah-fuhd."

Sirius called excitedly from the couch, "Padfoot!"

Harry squirmed in his mother's arms, concentrating again and exclaiming, "Pad-fuhd! Pah-foot!"

Lily, smiling brightly, held him up above her head and repeated the word again, "Padfoot!"

For one final time, Harry moved his lips uncertainly before calling out, "Padfoot!" Sirius laughed loudly, tossing his head back against the couch. James took Harry back from Lily and lobbed him into the air, catching him again quickly. Lily just sat on the edge of the couch, one hand covering her mouth as Harry continued to exclaim the word, "Padfoot! Padfoot! Padfoot!"

They all watched him, enthralled at his new ability. He caught the snitch again with his fingers and called it out a final time in victory, "Padfoot!"


End file.
